Two university researchers and a food safety company have collaborated in the development of a new barcode ink – not yet commercially available — that will change color ‘in the presence of food improperly refrigerated.’ The ink turns red and can’t be scanned.

Here’s the news story, courtesy of The Providence Journal. But for me, at least, it raises more questions than answers. It says, for example:

Brett Lucht, a URI chemistry professor, said there actually are two bar codes, the first of which operates when the pigment is activated. That will let the product be scanned routinely at the checkout. But if the food has risen above 40 degrees, the color change of the second bar code blocks the scanner.

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